


acting out and getting the blind to see

by ainamclane



Category: Blind Justice (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-28
Updated: 2016-09-28
Packaged: 2018-08-18 09:36:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8157511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ainamclane/pseuds/ainamclane
Summary: staying the night on Jim's couch might not be the best idea...





	

**Author's Note:**

> short story written about 6 years ago

Jim was irritated by the force Marty had just shown. Jim only heard the metal being hit by Marty’s shoe and he knew Marty had kicked his table again. Jim heard Karen wince and Tom asked: “What?”

“Nothing! Just-“ Marty started and Jim had troubles following where Marty was going. He realized that Marty was gone when Karen asked him: “Do you know what’s up with him?”

“How should I know? We’ve never got the heart-to-heart...” Jim started and looked to where Karen was sitting. 

“I just mean that everyone heard your talk starting but not ending...” Tom said from further away and shrugged: “And that’s barely three weeks-“

“I know. But that doesn’t mean this had anything to do with me.” Jim said and tried to make out Marty’s steps descending down the corridor. He couldn’t hear them. 

Karen then watched Tom leave for the night: “I just meant that he got a call and nothing further than *you* could have made him react like this. The last time he kicked the desk was when you were undercover and without Hank and picked up by a patrol car.”

Jim grimaced and tried to smell where Karen was. She wasn’t sitting on her desk, that was obvious. Her last words were coming in passing so he had to follow her with his other senses: “Yes but since then he’s been civil to me…”

“I know that. It just worries me what else might have him freak so much,” Karen said with a smile Jim could hear. He then knew she was getting a cup of water.

Jim sighed. They –Tom, Karen and Fisk- told him how much Marty had freaked out over hearing that he was lost and alone without Hank. That Marty had gone to search for Hank at the Shelter was showing him how much Detective Russo had worried: “Karen, he doesn’t like me that much.”

“I don’t know Jim. He’s treated you better, yes but its not just a small thing that will not go away. Fisk ordered you to play nice,” Karen replied and shrugged: “Anyways, something is going on and I want to know what.”

“You’re a detective. You’ll find out. I’m sorry, tonight I cannot help you…” Jim started and Karen was next to him in an instant: “You’ve asked me a lot over the past year, and you can’t-“

“Christie and I are meeting the lawyers to sign the divorce papers,” Jim said and looked at her.

She fell silent and Jim felt her leaning against his desk, looking down on him: “Jim, I didn’t…are you going to be okay?” Karen asked and leant a bit closer.

Jim smiled and for the first time in a while, he could answer that: “Yes, its what I want for her and I’m good. About Marty,… after we signed the papers, I’ll ring you up and we start on it?”

“No, Jim. We’ll see how he’s tomorrow. Maybe it was his mother again…” Karen said and moved off from the desk: “Can I drop you somewhere?”

“No, I’m fine. Christie will pick me up here. Thank you.”

“We have the weekend ahead…if you want…” Karen started again and Jim nodded: “Thank you but I will have a few things to do.”

“Yes, of course. Just, if you need someone, call me.” She then walked away, not taking an answer because she knew Jim well enough to know she wouldn’t get one.

Jim then sighed, pressed the button for the clock on his desk and sighed again when he got told five more minutes. He walked over to the bathroom, splashing some water into his face and went back, clapping his thigh for Hank and leaving. 

“Jim,” he heard his voice being called and walked over to where Christie had the door to the car open: “I was about to come and get you.”

“Hello Christie. How was your flight?” Jim asked and let Hank onto the backseat: “I didn’t know you were out of town yet.”

“I know. I didn’t tell you. I’m moving the last items into the house in LA. How do you know about the flight then?” she asked and Jim smiled.

Jim sat down on the passenger side and answered her: “You smell of stale airport food and air.”

She laughed and he had to gasp. The last time she had laughed was before the affair, after a night out with his old partner. He was glad he had offered a divorce at their therapists. It was good for both of them, Jim realized. 

They talked a bit about their work before Jim realized something had changed between them. The pressure wasn’t there anymore and Jim sighed in relieve when he noticed that he wasn’t the only one wanting out of their old relationship though he thought it probably was for a whole different set of reasons.

And who would have thought Jim hits a midlife crisis shortly after turning blind and realizing he’s gay. For Christ’s sake, and it had to be a coworker he’d fallen for! And Marty seriously wasn’t nice to him so how- Jim had to shake his head a bit to clear his thoughts. 

Marty wasn’t treading him precious or with pity or anything. He just acted like he was some other, normal person even though it had hurt walking into his desk. Jim was thankful for getting reminded that he was too careless in the office. There could be someone anytime, coming at him even when he was walking around ‘seven steps ahead, four to the left’ and attack them, him.

Marty’s smell was what Jim realized first. The sharp smell of cologne and shampoo, then underneath a smell that appealed to Jim. Jim didn’t know what it was that made him want to defend himself from Marty’s teasing words and his defensiveness. But now that he knew he was gay, it all fell into pattern and schemas that made him realize how blind he had been. Not only literally, but also mentally.

Of course, he didn’t have any way of knowing since Jim didn’t even know if he had a type, since he didn’t even know what Marty looked like. But there was that thing about chemistry and Jim could smell that chemistry. 

“Jim?” he was being called and he snapped his head around, answering Christie: “Sorry, a lot on my mind…”

“You look like you’re in love…” she said and Jim was surprised that it was said with a smile and relieve. She laid a hand on his arm: “I’m glad Jim. I’m happy for you. And I have an eye on someone, too.”

“I guess I am. I didn’t know at first…” Jim said and smiled: “Who is he?”

“He’s having a shop down in my apartment building. A small bakery…” she laughed then: “God, I can’t believe that we’re moving on so quickly. Does that mean we were bad for another?”

“No, I don’t think so, I just think we know that this doesn’t work, as much as we wished it to and now realize other people again. Might only be a crush, might be everything we really need after all.” Jim said and wondered when he had gotten that wisdom because he sure as hell didn’t have the insight before. 

She then moved to get out of the car and Jim noticed they had stopped moving. He followed her out and they got Hank out. Christie then asked: “So, who’re you falling for?”

Jim froze momentarily but it was enough for her to notice. She had his arm after all: “Jim, I really want to know and whom am I going to tell? I’m leaving tomorrow again.”

“Do you have a hotel already? You could stay the night…” Jim offered and heard the soft sigh of Christie: “Yes, that would be great. Thank you.”

They fell silent again and Jim then answered: “It’s Marty.”

Christie stopped dead in her tracks and Jim nodded, understanding. He then tried to see their surroundings. There was a fountain close by, some trees and birds not too far away and the smell of flowers and grass suggested a small park. Christie stood in front of him, smiling: “I cannot say I saw that one coming… And I really hope you mean Detective Marty Russo, your teammate?”

Jim nodded, knowing she could see the movement: “Yes, and I don’t know…how that happened. I mean, you know we didn’t get along until two month ago. Just before Hank was lost…”

“I am more surprised about the fact that it’s a him in the first place,” Christie laughed and added: “But yeah, I guess that would make me wonder, too. But then again, what has temperament and comes together with force is strong and can be love, right?”

“You have no idea how surprised I was to figure it all out. Doc Galloway was surprised when we talked and then simply asked if I were in the closet. When I was about to tell him I wasn’t, I stopped and laughed, realizing that I may be gay after all…”

“Jim,…”

“No, wait. I probably would have loved you enough anyways, if all of that other stuff hadn’t happened. If it would be different, hadn’t figured it out, by pure accident, mind you, you’d be enough. Just, not as it is with the divorce and all.” Jim tried to explain and hoped to make her understand.

Christie chuckled again: “Well, it’s amusing as it is. And if you would have figured it out years before, we’d make it as well. I cannot be mad at you for something you didn’t really realize before. Trust me, its fine.”

Jim nodded again and Christie tugged his arm: “We’re here. Do you really want to do this?”

“Yes, I do,” Jim answered and they started laughing: “Wow, it ends as it started.”

“I didn’t mean it like that, you know?” Christie asked and they entered their lawyer’s office. Jim nodded barely and greeted their lawyer.

Jim got to sign the papers and smiled when he heard the scratch of Christie’s pen as well. Making their way out a bit later, they were happy and smiling.

“Want to go for a drink?” Jim offered and they got in their car, driving to their old apartment, Jim’s home. They left Hank there and walked a block to a pub.

What Jim wasn’t prepared for was walking into the pub, finding a table and smelling Marty. Crap, that wasn’t planned. Not at all: “Christie, do you see Marty in here?” Jim asked in a whisper before he tried to get a picture of the room.

His memory helped providing the outlay and Jim smelled hundred many people and the drinks, the food and the bartender which was talking to Marty.

Christie whispered the answer Jim already knew: “At the bar. Jim…do you want me to…”

Jim sighed frustrated and rubbed a hand through his hair: “I don’t know. I mean, he lives further away than walking distance and why he’s here next to my apartment is puzzling me. He had a bad day…kicked his desk and stormed out…”

“I’ll go and ask him if he wants to sit down with us?” Christie asked and before Jim could reply to leave it alone, she stood and was across the room. Jim tried to listen to their words but loud laughter to one side of the bar interfered with the words.

Nothing left to do besides waiting, Jim nearly startled when he felt a firm grip on his shoulder: “Hey Jim. Christie asked me to join you. That okay?”

“Yes, why shouldn’t it be?” Jim asked and smiled a bit. 

“Not sure I was interrupting anything…” Marty said and when Christie took a seat again, she laughed: “Only a celebration of sorts.”

Jim then heard her wedding band being placed on the table and he took his ring off as well, smiling and taking his drink: “Cheers,”

“Cheers Jim,” she said and clinked their glasses. Jim really would have liked to see Marty’s face.

~*~

“Good morning. Slept well?” Jim asked loudly and laughed when Marty woke with a start and cursed his headache Jim was sure he was having: “C’mon, it’s Friday. What bad can happen today?”

“Oh please Jim…” Marty looked around: “How did I end up on your couch again?”

“You were celebrating our divorce the most,” Christie answered from the door to the guestroom and shrugged: “You two need to be at work in a few. Marty, I can see if I find a shirt that fits you and you shower?”

“That would be great, thank you,” Marty answered and watched Jim walking to the kitchen and starting coffee. Jim looked up at him, unseeing but still feeling Marty’s eyes on him.

The bathroom door closed then and Jim joined Marty on the couch, two cups of coffee in hand: “You look like you need it.”

“Thank you, really.” Marty said again and sighed: “I’m sorry about being drunk.”

“You want to tell me what got you shaken up like that?” Jim asked and looked straight ahead, smelling Marty way too clearly but Jim tried to force it down.

“An old story caught up a bit. I just…heard that someone died last night. He lay in a coma for five years but it still hits me hard…” Marty answered and then took a sip of the coffee: “Damn, that stuff is good. Why don’t we have that at the precinct?”

“Its probably too expensive,” Christie answered from the bathroom and then kissed Jim on the cheek: “I’m leaving for the airport now. Thanks for letting me stay. I will catch up to you when I’m here next.”

“Yes, that would be great. Have a good flight, Christie.” Jim said and stood, barely hearing Marty making his way to the bathroom.

“Write me an email once you know how its going with Marty?” she whispered, sure that Jim could hear her: “I think he’s interested.”

Jim gaped at her: “You think so?”

“Yes. And now, be well and I’ll hear from you soon,” with that, she left the apartment, leaving her wedding band laying on the table, forgotten right next to Jims. It was relaxing.

“Do you think your shirt will suit me?” Marty asked after a few minutes.

“I don’t know. Do I look like I care about color, Marty?” Jim asked with a smile and sensed Marty stepping up to him.

“Well, the shirt is dark blue…”

“What’s your hair color then?” Jim asked.

He could feel Marty pause: “Wait, you don’t…” he then cleared his throat: “Of course you don’t know. Well, I just thought Bettancourt told you what we look like…”

“I found out Tom’s afro-american two weeks ago, Marty.” Jim shrugged and when Marty laughed he laughed with him.

“My hair’s brown, dark brown…I’m Italian after all. So brown eyes and a bit of tanned skin then.” Marty said and carried their now empty coffee cups to the dishwasher. 

“Thank you. Now I can also tell you it probably suite you fine enough to not be called on,” Jim said and grabbed his careful laid out items. He felt Marty watching him again: “Are you okay?”

“Yes, just…seeing you like this…not that you’re much different from the office but still…” he replied and cleared his throat: “We better go now. Suspicious enough we’ll both be late.”

Jim nodded and Hank made his way over to Jim. 

“I parked my car a block away…” Marty offered and Jim nodded, already falling in step beside him.

“That friend of yours…are you going to the funeral?” Jim asked carefully and stopped on his street coffee seller to get his usual. Marty took a coffee as well.

“No. It’s a long time since I talked to any of them and I would have to take three days off…”

“Look, if you need company this weekend, let me know and you can watch me trying to live without Christie…” 

“Aren’t you doing that for a while now?” Jim heard Marty wonder about that.

Shrugging, Jim answered: “I would call that surviving, not living. We don’t exactly have the time to do much outside of the job. Christie stayed at the apartment the last few month to get everything started for her and not let me off the hook all at once.”

“What does your doc say?” Marty asked carefully and Jim wondered how he knew that part about Jim.

“That I just don’t want to be alone,” Jim said and they reached the car: “Your friend…what kind of friend was he?”

“Geez, Dunbar! Damn you for being a detective…” Marty started with more anger than he really had. Jim knew because the real anger had been directed at him before: “A way too good friend.”

Jim nodded and let it be. He really hoped Christie had been right with seeing interest in Marty. Because their start indicated anything but interest.

~*~

“Dunbar!” Fisk yelled and Jim turned into that direction, Hank leading him: “Yes?”

“Detective Russo is in there. Bettencourt and Selway are on their way to get the perp. Any idea how he got in there or how to get him out?” Fisk asked and Jim could hear he was frustrated. 

“We were about to interrogate the friend of our body again. Russo and I agreed he should talk to her alone. Her history suggests that I might be the wrong person to talk to. Now we can use that.” Jim said and already got brought a pair of sunglasses by SWAT.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m going in, Sir, and you will see what I can’t. I have a gun with me and it has a laser on it so you can see where I’m pointing at. You tell me when to shoot.” Jim said and shrugged.

“Are you out of your mind!?” Fisk yelled again and Jim shrugged: “She wouldn’t see me as a threat.”

“The last time you tried undercover was a complete disaster!” Fisk said and shook his head: “Okay, I’ll have someone talk you through this. Once Bettencourt and Selway are here, I’ll let them lead you through that house.”

“Thank you, Sir.” Jim said and started getting a kevlar vest on. 

Jim barely could hear anything besides his heartbeat he stopped a moment and the earpiece cracked: “Why are you not moving Dunbar?”

“I need a moment to orientate,” Jim whispered back and could suddenly see the room with a pathway leading away. He then got told where some items were and where he shouldn’t step.

He made good time, and that’s when he smelled it. Marty: “Russo’s hurt,”

“How do you-“ a voice started but Bettencourt interrupted: “Are you sure?”

Jim didn’t dare replying, knowing the woman who held Russo hostage was close. He merely nodded his head, knowing the camera would show the movement. A string of courses came through but Jim ignored them.

He then stepped into the room, his gun still in his holster and waiting for an order: “Hello,”

“Go away!” the woman screamed and Jim winced a bit. The earpiece –Karen- told him the scene: “She’s kneeling, having Russo sitting in front of her. He’s bleeding from his shoulder. She has the gun in her left hand and uses Russo as a shield.”

“I will not go anywhere,” Jim answered and he focused on Marty’s heartbeat, glad he heard it. Not that he heard it all that well. He just sensed it somehow.

“He’s blind,” Marty rasped out and that earned Jim an earful of cheers from the team.

The woman wavered for a bit and Karen said: “Raise your gun,”

Jim did and the laser focused on somewhere: “More to the right…yes, stop, back… good, a bit up…yes. Hold it…”

“Drop your gun or I’ll shoot him!” the woman yelled and Jim flinched.

“I told you, he’s blind. Can’t walk to the left a few steps without falling over a chair. He wouldn’t even see me brushing a hand through my hair. Right, Dunbar!?” Russo said and Jim heard his cloths move as much as he understood this was a code. Karen’s: “Shoot!” was ringing in his ears as well as the shot ranging out and the casing hitting the ground. 

“Jim, three steps to me, I need your cuffs,” Marty said and Jim moved, hearing medics being yelled to go in as well as cops.

Jim hurried to hand them to Marty and sighed when they clicked into place. Karen and Tom were there next, paramedics treating to Marty already: “Good work Jim.” Fisk said.

Jim barely nodded, senses and unseeing eyes focused on Marty.

“Hey Jim? Don’t ever let me sleep on your couch again. It gives me strains that are a bitch. Sorry about your shirt. Oh and, if you want to carry your 38mm again, I won’t object.”

“You mean not to let you drink the whiskey you shared with Christie?” Jim replied with a small smile and was reassured that Marty was okay.

Hearing the wheels of the stretcher, Jim turned to his colleagues: “What?”

“He stayed on your couch?” Frisk asked.

“How much did he have to drink?” Tom asked.

“How did the divorce go?” Karen asked and got eyed from both Frisk and Tom.

Jim then raised a hand before they could start again: “The divorce went well. We went for a drink, found Marty, offered him my couch because Christie was tired and didn’t want to drive him home, he stayed on the couch and Christie left with the first plane this morning.”

When no reply came, he added: “C’mon guys, lets go back to do paperwork. Its Friday after all.”

They followed him quickly.

~*~

“Want to drive to the hospital? See if we can spring Marty?” Tom asked into the office and got an affirmative from Karen while Jim answered: “Yes, but if we’re to spring him, where is he to stay?”

“Don’t you have a couch?” Tom asked teasingly.

“What, one night wasn’t enough? You want to punish me some more?” Jim asked and prepared to leave. Hank already perking up.

Tom and Karen fell into step with him: “We don’t have a couch.”

~*~

“Hey, if that aren’t my colleagues,” Marty said from the bed and watched them come closer. Hank even was allowed to come in.

“We couldn’t just leave you here alone for the weekend, could we?” Tom asked and Karen nodded: “Yes, didn’t want to bore you to death.”

Shrugging, Marty simply answered: “Nah, I’m free to go. Just a nasty flesh wound…”

“Where exactly are you hurt?” Jim asked and tried to get an image from that room. Marty’s smell was covered with antiseptics. 

“Shoulder, just underneath the collarbone, left side.” Marty said and surprised everyone with the description. Karen usually did that for Jim.

“Any lasting damages?” Fisk asked suddenly, making all jump a bit.

“No, Boss, nothing to worry about,” Marty replied and sat up, wincing: “Doc needs to check me up one more time and I’m free to go.”

Jim nodded and turned to the doctor who entered just then, carrying a really nasty smell with him.

“I am only willing to let you go, Mr Russo, when someone can keep an eye on you.”

“Well, then my couch is canceled,” Jim said and Marty laughed: “Not that I would stay there another night. Its crappy.”

“Like we said,” Tom started and Karen finished: “We don’t have a couch.”

“I think the doctor didn’t mean it literally, right?” Fisk asked and shook his head: “Jim…”

Jim shrugged: “I can handle him, yes. If he wants to stay.”

“Do I have to be worried that one of you ends up dead by Monday?” Fisk asked with a frown. 

“No, Sir,” both Dunbar and Marty answered. 

“Jim?” Marty started: “Thank you for earlier…I’d like to stay with you instead of being forced to be here.”

~*~

When they entered Jim’s apartment, Jim sighed: “I’ll go make up the guestroom for you…”

“No, Jim…its okay…I’ve got it,” Marty said and shrugged. He didn’t want Jim to have more troubles than necessary.

“The way I see it, Marty, you have an arm in a sling and cannot make up a bed, let alone cook anything or even bath yourself…” Jim said and Hank sensed danger and dived off. 

Marty only nodded: “Okay. Fine! At least let me help you looking for it. I’m sure you need a set of eyes for that.”

Jim starred at Marty for a while and Marty then sighed: “Look, Jim. I know you want to do it all by yourself. But we’re a team! You needed them to see for you earlier. I needed you to save my ass and now you need me to help you get the right set of sheets. We’re not still back at the beginning, Jim. I’ve learned to trust you. So trust me…”

Jim nodded, stepping closer a bit: “I do trust you.”

“Good,” Marty said and stepped closer: “Trust me just a little bit more.”

Jim sensed the smell of Marty getting stronger and the heat of his body getting closer. He was about to ask what was going on, when Marty kissed him. Surprising him and kissing him.

Jim felt Marty waver, being unsure but before he could draw back, Jim had his hand in Marty’s neck, kissing him and locking him against his lips. 

“Do you see now?” Mart asked after parting, gasping for breath.

“Yes, I see.”


End file.
